I'd Say That You Were Always Mine
by prettypinklips
Summary: She leaves him letters in hollow places. -– Klaus/Caroline, and a game.


I'd Say That You Were Always Mine

–

The first letter comes to his home in New Orleans. Marcel brings the small light pink envelope to him, and he can smell the faint scent of her skin on the paper. He takes the envelope gingerly in his hands and sends Marcel away.

There is no return address. Only his name scrawled in black ink. He's almost afraid to open it. It's been months since he had last seen her, but not a day had gone by that he hadn't thought of her. Her smile, her shining eyes, her radiant curls, the lilting and disbelieving soft laugh she saved just for him. There are hundreds of paintings in his study, all of her. She consumes him.

And she has sent him a letter.

He sets the envelope on the coffee table before he goes to the bar and fixes himself a drink. He's afraid of what the letter will say. He's afraid it will snap his already fragile heart–fragile when it comes to her–in two. He knocks back the glass of scotch before he pours himself another. He sips the second glass while he works up the courage to open the envelope. This little blonde vampire has reduced him to a lonely mess. This little blonde distraction has ruined him. And oh, he isn't angry at her for it.

Quite the opposite, actually.

He sits down on the couch and picks up the envelope. He hadn't noticed before, but there's a small red mark in the corner. The color matches her favorite shade of lipstick. She had lightly kissed this envelope before she had sent it off. The thought of her pressing this letter meant for him to her lips sends his dead heart in overdrive, and he rips the envelope open.

Inside, there's a postcard. Behind the postcard, is a folded up sheet of paper. He reads the postcard first, as was her intention. The postcard is from France, the Eiffel Tower shining on the front of the card. He flips it over, and reads.

Klaus,

The promise isn't being broken if we're not seeing each other, right? Paris is beautiful. The art and the music and the language. It's all beautiful. You were right. Mystic Falls and Whitmore? It wasn't for me. I've been traveling for three weeks. And every time I get off a plane and I see a new place, I think of you. I wish you could tell me stories and show me secret hidden places. If things had been different, Klaus, if I was different and you were different, I think we would have been just as beautiful as Paris when the sun is setting.

Thinking of you,

Caroline

He drops the postcard onto the table. Her words had done strange things to him. If things had been different...

He almost doesn't want to read the letter. What if she was taking everything she had said in the postcard back? What if it had all been some kind of sick joke? She had the nasty habit of playing with his heart. He tucks the letter back into the envelope and hides it in a carved box sitting on top of the mantle over the fireplace. He'll revisit the letter later. He folds the postcard neatly and tucks it into his wallet. He needs to carry her words with him everywhere.

He exits the office, saving the letter for another day.

–

A week passes, Klaus has still not read the letter, and Marcel returns to his office. This time with a package. "This came for you this morning. There's no return address. Looks like you have a secret admirer." Marcel teases.

"Something like that." He muses quietly, curious as to what Caroline has left him. Klaus takes the package. It's a small box, wrapped in plain brown paper. He shakes it lightly, curious. "Give me a moment." He tells Marcel. Marcel looks at the box curiously once more before he gives a slight bow and exits study.

Klaus tears open the box once Marcel's footsteps reach the stairs. Inside, a small purple box rests. Caroline a has sent him his favorite box of French chocolates. He has no idea how she knew he liked them, but she knew. His heart warms a little, and he looks from the chocolates to the box with the letter hidden inside on the mantle. It's time to read it.

Klaus sits on the couch with the letter, box of chocolate in his lap. He pops a dark chocolate with caramel filling into his mouth and unfolds the letter. Caroline's familiar neat scrawl reels him in.

Klaus,

I think about you every day. I think about how we met and how I hated you and everything you stood for. I think about how you used Jenna and how you used me and how you used Tyler.

But I also think about how you saved my life when I was bitten and I think about what you said that night. About the how the world was waiting for me. I didn't want to admit it at the time, but you made me feel special in that moment. I think about the drawings and the bracelet and the dress for the ball and prom night and graduation and how you kissed my cheek.

I think about that day in the woods and how you held me like I could shatter in your hands at any moment. I think about the promise you made me and how much I hate myself for making you promise in the first place.

And finally, I think about now. I think about how I don't really hate you at all. I think about you every day and it's driving me mad. Do you think about me? Do you draw me from memory sometimes? Do you think about the woods and the promise? Do you hate me for it?

I wish you were my guide here in France. I wish you could show me the art and the music and the beauty like you once said. I'm finally giving the world that waited a chance.

And maybe one day we'll have a chance.

Love,

Caroline

If his heart could beat, Klaus swears he would be having a heart attack right now. He leans his head back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Her letter was beautiful. It was everything he had ever wanted to hear. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if she had been there to deliver it herself. He folds the letter up neatly and sticks it back in the box.

As Klaus stands to put the box back on the mantle, he knocks the top of the chocolate box onto the ground. He bends to pick it up and is startled to find writing on the inside. It's an address, sort of.

Whitmore College, dorm 123

The handwriting belongs to Caroline. He stares at the address, contemplating. Perhaps she will be there waiting for him.

And perhaps it's a trick. Perhaps this has all been one hell of a setup and her and her little friends will be waiting for him at Whitmore.

Nevertheless, he has to know. So he grabs his car keys and the chocolates and the letter and exits the room.

"Marcel!" Klaus calls, walking down the stairs, spring in his step. The man appears at the foot of the stairs. "I'm going on a little trip. You're in charge. I trust that you'll keep things in order this time?"

Marcel grins a little, "You have my word, Klaus." He promises.

"Good."

–

Whitmore has a beautiful campus. He can see Caroline everywhere; studying under a tree, jogging down the path.

He pushes through the sea of students, towards the dorm building. He climbs a few flights of stairs before he reaches the right hallway. At the very end of the hall, on the left, is the room he's looking for.

Klaus sucks in a deep breath before he knocks on the door. A moment passes, and the door opens, a familiar brunette head poking out of the door. Elena's head tilts, "Klaus? You got here a lot sooner than I expected. Are you alone?"

Klaus nods, stunned. Caroline has sent him to Elena? Why?

Elena opens the door wide, stepping aside for him, "Please, come in." There's a sour tone in her voice, like she's only doing this because she has to. He knows she hates him, and he can't say he feels anything particularly good for her. Caroline must have put her up to this. But again, why?

Klaus enters the room, and she shuts the door behind him. One side clearly belongs to Elena. Pictures of Jeremy, Bonnie, Caroline, and both Salvatore's decorate the walls and desk. The other half of the room, however, is bare.

"That used to be Caroline's side of the room." Elena says before he can ask. "She took everything and hopped on the first flight to France a month ago."

Klaus stares at Caroline's side of the room while Elena sits on the floor, legs crossed in front of her. She's sitting in front of a chess board. She waves her hand at the empty space on the floor across from her, and he sits.

"I slacked off in the beginning of the quarter, so now my psychology teacher is forcing me to become a chess expert. If I beat him, I get a passing grade. I'm having a hard time with it." She admits.

Klaus looks down at the board, "Perhaps I can be of assistance."

Elena snorts. "What? Did you invent the game?"

Klaus shakes his head, "Actually, that was Elijah. But I'm somewhat of an expert."

Elena gapes, "Elijah invented chess?" She shakes her head, laughing a little. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" She murmurs to herself. "Alright, fine. You help me figure this game out, and I'll tell you why Caroline sent you here."

Klaus nods, agreeing. He makes a simple first move with a pawn, and Elena makes an identical move.

"I assume you know about Caroline and I." Klaus says, eyes on the board.

"Caroline and I may have our..." Elena chooses her next words carefully, "moral differences." She decides, "But she is and always will be my best friend. Of course she told me. She came clean a few days before she dropped out of Whitmore."

Klaus looks down at the chess board, moves his pawn towards her knight. "What did she say happened between us, exactly?" He hedges.

Elena takes his pawn with her knight. "She said you two did the nasty in the woods like cavemen. Her words, not mine."

Klaus almost spits out his whisky. "It was much more romantic than that." Klaus defends. Though there was some tearing of fabric, he remembers. He doesn't give her time to respond before he asks, "Why would she tell you? She was very adamant that our tryst was to be kept a secret." And it was a painful secret to keep, indeed. He wanted to shout it from the rooftops. He had had the girl of his dreams, and she had enjoyed every single moment.

Elena shrugs, "I don't know. Maybe she had a change of heart. She just told me that you were right. It wasn't for her. Something like that. All I know, Klaus, is that she cares for you. And I know you care for her. I've learned a lot about love in the last few months, and if you have it, you chase it. There may be a million reasons why it won't work, but you've got to put your faith in the one reason why it will."

Elena stands quickly, running over to her bedside table. She pulls a pink envelope out of the drawer. "I was supposed to give you this when you came." She says, sitting back down. He reaches for the envelope, but she pulls her arm back. "Let's get one thing straight before you leave. I don't trust you. I don't like you. And I never will. But I trust and love Caroline. I will accept your presence in her life if she decides to give it to you. She is an amazing friend." She hands him the envelope.

Klaus makes his final move on the board, "Check mate." He says, and Elena growls in frustration.

"I'm never gonna beat my professor." She groans.

"You get too distracted making your own moves that you don't pay attention to your opponents'. I'll send Elijah here to help you. He was always fond of you, I'm sure he'd be happy to help." He tells her, picking Caroline's envelope and his jacket up. Her cheeks turn a little pink at the mention of Elijah's name. "Always a pleasure, Elena." He nods to her before he leaves, closing the door behind him.

As he walks to his car, he stares down at the envelope. He knows what this is now. This is a game. The letters are clues, and at the end of the game, Caroline will be ready and waiting for him. She will be right on his doorstep, just like he had said she would be so long ago. He tucks the envelope into the pocket of his jacket, grinning to himself.

He can't wait to win.

–

A/N: so I've been thinking about this idea for awhile, and I finally sat down and wrote it out. I'm really excited about it. I haven't seen any of S6, and only half of S5 so please keep in mind that this is me spinning my own little TVD world. Also, that stupid little baby doesn't exist. And neither does The Originals canon. Please let me know what you think! Hope you enjoyed, until next time!

– ppl


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